Entry to ABVP ‘outsiders’: LU accused of double standards

LUCKNOW: Students belonging to Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha on Saturday accused the Lucknow University (LU) administration of adopting double standards on allowing entry to students on the campus.

“While on Friday the expelled Samjwadi Chhatra Sabha leader was stopped from entering the campus, only a day after, the LU administration allowed hassle free entry to the cavalcade of Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) leader,” alleged student leaders of the Samajwadi Party.

The university on Friday had shut the varsity gate to prevent the entry of expelled Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha leader, Ashish Mishra Boxer, on campus on Friday. Mishra, who was booked for creating ruckus on campus, was released from jail after four months.

However, on Saturday, there were no restrictions at LU’s Bhaoras Deoras gate when Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) vice president, Shakti Singh, visited campus with all his supporters.

The onlookers said the ABVP student leaders came on a fleet of 5-6 SUVs—mostly black—and zoomed inside near Bhaoras Deoras Gate.

Shakti Singh with his fellow ABVP supporters went inside the campus and even garlanded the statue of Chandra Shekhar Azad. “He did visit the campus to interact with students and take their feedback on student union polls which have not taken place since last 12 years,” said an ABVP functionary.

Confirming the visit of ABVP student leader on campus, chief proctor Vinod Singh said university did not threw open any gate.

“It was the police administration that let him in. Our rule book says outsiders are not allowed to enter into the campus. Maintaining law order on campus is also the responsibility of the police and the district administration,” he said. The incident has not gone down well with Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha who have accused the university officials of being lenient towards RSS-backed student leaders.